UGF Hires & Fires SID After Discovering Arrest For Having Sex With Students

It’s becoming clear that schools aren’t exactly getting the most bang for their buck when hiring search firms to fill positions.

Yesterday, the University of Great Falls hired and fired a new sports information director Todd Brittingham in two hours because they failed to uncover that he had a sexual relationship with a 16 year old girl:

The case’s charges followed a June 22, 2009, incident in which the female student allegedly began texting with Brittingham, who suggested she drive to Galva to meet him at his home at around 11 p.m. According to earlier testimony, the student said she already had been drinking when Brittingham encouraged her to drive to his home. Upon arrival, the student said she drank a great deal and became intoxicated, forgetting much of what happened later in the night. She testified in 2010 she woke up the next morning on a couch in Brittingham’s house semi-dressed, vaguely remembering having had intercourse with him.

Testimony provided by the student earlier in court proceedings was not cited as contributing to the counts decided on Tuesday. They included a June 5, 2009, incident in which the student had earlier driven to Galva to engage in sexual relations with Brittingham, a May 19 incident in which sexual acts were performed in the girls locker room beneath the McPherson College stadium, and a July 9 incident, again beneath the stadium, in which the two began engaging in sexual acts but did not complete them.

Prosecutors ended up dropping four felony counts of unlawful sexual relations with a student since Todd plead guilty to endangering a child and furnishing alcohol to a minor. It’s pretty crazy that he was able to pull that off and should consider himself quite lucky he isn’t in jail right now.

These schools have to do a better job of looking into people and in most cases they pay five figures to a search firm only to have egg on their faces later. A simple Google search could work wonders.